Subject Knowledge Enhancement
Some teachers of community languages in the secondary sector find it hard to gain a place on Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses because they cannot offer a second language. A school may not have enough language classes to offer sufficient teaching experience. Furthermore, some ITT courses only offer training in a community language alongside another language such as French or German.
A trainee teacher of a community or world language who can also teach French or German (or Spanish) has a better chance of gaining a place on a teacher training programme and of later finding employment in a school.
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has developed pre-ITT Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses. These enable graduates to develop a second language sufficiently to teach it in Key Stage 3 (pupils aged 11-14) and offer an introduction to current methodology in the teaching of languages in England.
SKE courses:
- are available in French or German;
- last approximately14 weeks (17 weeks for complete beginners);
- are full-time and intensive;
- offer a bursary payment of approximately £225 per week;
- include a fully funded two-week study course in France or Germany.
For further information including a list of course providers visit the TDA website or contact the TDA Teaching Information Line on 0845 600 0991.
